Anita Desai's Fasting Feasting

Full Length Research

Anita Desai’s Fasting Feasting: A Picturesque Reflection of Male-Chauvinistic Indian Society

Mohammad M H

Department of English, Jazan University, KSA, Saudi Arabia

Accepted 31st October, 2019.

An attentive perusal of Anita Desai’s Fasting Feasting shows that the novel is really a picturesque reflection of predicament, plight, pains and pangs done one the females in male-chauvinistic society of the then India. In other words, the novel reveals her struggle for female autonomy against the backdrop of the patriarchal cultural pattern prevailing in India. She has picturesquely shown how the women are deprived of what they deserve. Desai has used the characters of Uma and Anamika to delineate how women are bereft of human rights –social, political, familial, cultural, economic, academic etc. and used for sexual gratification and then discarded. How women are persecuted in the family as well as in the society by the husbands and father or mother-in-laws, ignored to be educated, bound to go for miscarriage or hysterectomy, not allowed to enjoy various tastes of life have also been depicted in the novel. That the ‘new woman’ is essentially a woman of awareness and consciousness of her low position in the family and society is discerned here. This paper, besides showing how the Indian women are indescribably and brutally persecuted in the family and society,sidelined and not allowed to be educated, suffer from father obsession and look for the typical father in her husband, also aims at describing how Anita Desai has struggled for the independence of women of her time.

Keywords: Autonomy, chauvinism, deprivation, education, feminism, hysterectomy, persecution etc.

INTRODUCTION:

The history of modern western feminism is comfort; but never has he desired to elevate her to that divided into three waves and each is described as rank she was created to fill.(Bheda 39) dealing with different aspects of the same feminist Alice Jardine, a professor of Romance issues. The first wave refers to the movement of the 19th Languages and Literatures and of Studies of Women, through early 20th centuries, which dealt mainly with Gender, and Sexuality at Harvard University, offers a suffrage, working conditions and educational rights for definition of feminism. ‗Feminism, she writes, is women. The second wave (1960s-1980s) dealt with the generally, understood as a movement from the point of inequality of laws and the role of women in society. The view of, by and for women.‘(Jardine 15) third wave (late 1980s-early 2000s) is seen as both a Toril Mori defines ‗feminism‘ as a political continuation of the second wave and a response to the position, ‗femaleness‘ as a matter of biology and perceived failures. ‗feminity‘ as a set of culturally determined Throughout the twentieth century there has been characteristics. ‗The two words ‗feminist‘ and ‗feminism‘, a study of a ubiquitous male control over every aspect of says Toril Mori, are political labels supporting the aims of a woman‘s existence. Sarah Grimke observes: women‘s movements of the 1960s.‘(Mori 204) Man has subjugated woman to his will, used her Simply ‗feminism‘ means the adage which as a means of selfish gratification, to minister to his advocates for woman‘s complete equality with men in all sexual pleasure, to be instrumental in promoting his spheres of life—political, social, legal, economic, familial, 570. Int. J. Arts and Humanit.

cultural, academic, etc.—and the feminist movement is aphorisms of a few of the great philosophers indicate the an organized effort for achieving such an equality and status of women in male-chauvinistic society. The old rights for women. ‗Charlotte Perkins Gilman was the first conventional notions of male-dominated society were so woman who stressed for the economic independence of rude, unbearable, suppressive, oppressive, depressive women.‘(Gilman 187) and unscrupulous that women‘s discourse takes a shape Similarly Simone de Beauvoir raised her voice of movement. Their consciousness seeks to analyze and against the sexual oppression of the patriarchal understand the material conditions through which gender society.‘(Gupta 7) has been constructed within specific languages and In our selected novel Fasting Feasting, the writer bodies of literature. And its result is that the strong wave has delineated how the Indian Women are deprived of of feminism in 1960s and 1970s took place for women‘s these fundamental rights in comparison with the men. liberation. Fasting Feasting gives a faithful expression to The above stated pictures about women have the ‗Long smothered wail of lacerated psyche and tells been drawn by the expert artist Anita Desai in her the harrowing tale of blunted human famous novel Fasting Feasting. The picture appears relationships.‘(Pathak 98) before the readers in every single line. Desai remarks: There are those who can handle The very beginning of the novel indicates how situations and those who can‘t. And my stories are the girls were treated differently in a family. Mama and generally about those who can‘t. They find themselves Papa treat Uma, their daughter, very differently than they trapped in situations on which they have no treat Arun, their son. They expect her to have no other control.‘(Bheda, Indian Women Novelists in English 14) needs, desires, or priorities other than meeting their needs. It's as if they see their daughter as an extension of themselves and their will, rather than as her own Women in the eyes of world-famous philosophers person. and literati:

To quote Virginia Wolf, ‗Imaginatively she is Women were treated differently: completely insignificant, she pervades poetry from cover to cover; she is all but absent from history.‘(SenGupta 1) The novel opens in the modern day with Uma, The great philosophers who have immensely middle-aged and still unmarried, at home in India in the contributed to the existing values of life have summer, taking orders from Mama and Papa. They are paradoxically treated woman as an object to be used by instructing her with great importance about how they man: wish to have their afternoon tea. This leads to them She is God’s second mistake, said Nietzsche. To barking orders at her, very specifically, about how to do Aristotle she is an inferior man. He again says that the many different household chores at once. They female is female by virtue of certain lack of qualities. anxiously debate with each other about how best to Machiavelli chooses to identify woman with fortune: instruct Uma to prepare a box of care goods to send fortune is a woman, and if you wish to master her, you to Arun, who is attending University in America. They must strike and beat her. Schopenhauer says woman is worry that he has a warm enough sweater, and enough by nature meant to obey. The saying totamulier in utero tea. Uma grows very flustered trying to meet their (woman is nothing but womb) was in vogue. growing and changing demands. Her parents show no Shakespeare too refers it as, Frailty thy name is woman concern or even awareness for how their way of ordering and the same idea is mentioned in The Taming of the Uma around is making her feel. Shrew e.g., Thy husband is thy lord, thy keeper, thy Mama and Papa treat Uma, their daughter, head, thy sovereign. (Gupta, The Novels of Anita Desai very differently than they treat Arun, their son. They put A Feminist Pesrpective 6) a lot of thought into their package for Arun. Meanwhile, In Indian Vedic age Manu, the law giver of Hindu MamaPapa expect a lot from Uma, and their way of Dharma Shastra, clearly assigns woman a subordinate piling demands onto her shows that they give little position to man: thought to whether or not Uma can actually meet those During childhood, a female must depend upon her demands. father, during youth, upon her husband, her husband Uma struggles to remember a time when being dead, upon her sons; if she has no sons, upon the MamaPapa had 'separate existences'. She recalls near kinsmen of her husband; in default, upon those of that Mama and Papa have offered few memories of their her father, if she has no parental kinsmen, upon the childhoods before their young marriage. Mama's sovereign; a woman must never govern herself as she recollections focus on family and include remembering likes.(Gupta, The Novels of Anita Desai A Feminist little transgressions, such as the women of her house Perspective 6) sneaking sweets to their daughters and nieces, as Thus all the definitions about women‘s conduct, sweets were only allowed to boys in her household. behavior, and existence were given by men. These Papa's recollections focus on the struggles of his 571. Mohammad.

boyhood in poverty and his hard work to overcome those ‗Uma, scrambling in after Mama, says, ‗Oof, Papa, why deprivations so that he could go to school and become a are we hurrying?‘ lawyer, such as studying under streetlamps late into the Once Papa gives the drivers orders all the way home. night. Then Uma again asks: Mama's recollections about sneaking the ‗Why are we hurrying? Uma asks again sweets betray the unequal treatment of girls and boys in querulously.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 13) her own family and the secret defiance of women Uma shows a hunger, not just for the literal nuts against that inequality. and gram she smells in the park, but for the sensations, Uma remembers the only example of smells, and sights presented to her in the park. She Mama having a separate life from Papa as being when wants to linger because she has gotten a taste for life Uma was young and Papa was still working as an outside the world of her family, and she‘s curious for attorney. Mama used to sneak off to play cards with the more. But unfortunately Uma is deprived of the women in her neighborhood. Mama would laugh loudly enjoyment as the society itself doesn‘t allow her. at the card games with the other women and would That women were neglected in the then society show a coy, playful side to herself. When Papa would is reflected here picturesquely. Mama and Uma are not return from work, Mama would pretend that she had not allowed to enjoy the taste of roasted nuts and cooked left the house that day. It means, women were not gram as they are women. Papa walks around the park allowed to go out to enjoy some time with their near and instead of allowing Mama and Uma walking along with dear ones. If they were allowed, why they should enjoy him maybe thinking that if he walks along with the their time secretly and surreptitiously? women, his prestige will be under questions. In the modern day, Uma is invited to a coffee party thrown by Mrs. O‘Henry, the Baptist missionary Women aren’t allowed to enjoy market food items / she admires. Mama and Papa say there is no good Women were deprived of enjoying the taste of life: reason for Uma to go. ‗Why? What‘s wrong?‘ Uma demands heatedly, ‗Nothing is wrong,‘ Mama replies Once Papa declares that Mama and Uma need sourly, ‗only I don‘t see the need for such parties. to get some exercise, so he takes them to the park. At MrsO‘Henry invites you to a party, then you will have to the park, Uma is expected to walk with Mama, and the invite her to a party—‗(Desai, Fasting Feasting 115) two walk slowly, Uma following Mama's pace, while Mama says that Uma doesn‘t have to run after Papa circles the park several times on his own. Uma MrsO‘Henry. Then Uma bravely replies: hungrily smells roasted nuts and cooked gram, which is ‗Papa has retired—he doesn‘t have any work,‘ Uma garbanzo bean flour, and watches interestedly at the flares up, ‗and still you go to dinner parties and to the crowd, while her mother criticizes passerby for their club. And I don‘t go running after MrsO‘Henry—she immodest dress or behavior. invited me – you heard her.‘ (Desai, Fasting Feasting ‗Mama gives an annoyed little snort and tells 116) Uma they will continue their walk by themselves and not ‗Stay home and do your work—that is best,‘ Mama try to keep up with Papa. Sedately, they circle the park, opines with an air of piety. keeping to a path between the railing and the canna ‗I do my work all the time, every day,‘ Uma cries beds and pretending not to notice the peanut and ice tearfully. ‗Why can‘t I go out sometimes? I never go cream vendors thrusting their wares between the bars anywhere. I want to go to MrsO‘Henry‘s party.‘ (Desai, and calling to customers. Uma finds saliva gathering at Fasting Feasting 117) the corners of her mouth at the smell of the spiced, How unscrupulous the society is! It seems that it is a roasted gram but decides to say nothing.‘ (Desai 12) great felony for a girl to go out of the ‗four walls.‘ It seems that to look at the sweet items in the Thus Uma‘s revolutionary zeal reminds us Desai‘s market is a great offense for the females. Mama and revolutionary zeal for women‘s autonomy. Uma are unlucky as they are females, and not males. It is prohibited for them to look at them let alone hoping to taste them. So, they pretended not to notice them. Such Third pregnancy after two daughters is a shame for kind of pictures of the then society even defeats the women: condition of women during the Dark Age when the girls were graved alive. Uma remembers when Mama became pregnant When Papa, Mama and Uma were doing rounds with Arun, and she recalls this as the only time she in the park, the driver was waiting outside. After finishing noticed a significant inharmoniousness between her rounds, Papa was in a hurry to go back home lest Mama parents' desires. Uma remembers the secrecy and and Uma should want something to eat. As Papa was shame surrounding news of her mother's pregnancy. saying boringly: The narrator indicates that the secrecy ensued because ‗Get in‘, he says impatiently, I‘ve been waiting for you. pregnancy is a sign of sex – particularly female sex, So slow. So slow. Get in. Get in. Quick, now.‘ which is shameful. When Arun is conceived, Mama is 572. Int. J. Arts and Humanit.

older and the pregnancy is painful, and she wishes she Extra, attentive and cautious care is taken of the could terminate it. But with just two new born baby boy when he is brought home. Mother is daughters, Papa wants a son. So Mama feels she has now advising Uma about how to fold nappies, prepare no choice but to go through with it, however miserable it milk, take a ‗boy‘ on lap etc. The narrator is observed to makes her health. It seems that third time pregnancy is a narrate: shame for women if she already has got two daughters, ‗When Mama came home, weak, exhausted, and it is the only woman who enjoys sex, not the man. and short-tempered, she tried to teach Uma the correct How gentle, polite and scrupulous the society is! way of folding nappies, of preparing watered milk, of rocking the screaming infant to sleep when he was covered with prickly heat as with a burn. Uma, Boys are the future-lamps of a family: unfortunately, was her clumsy, undependable self, dropping and breaking things, frightenedly pulling away Though the pregnancy was painful for Mama as from her much too small, too precious, and too fragile she was a bit older, but she has to bear it as Papa needs brother.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 18) a son ‗who will hold the lamp of the family in future which So, it also indicates the women who can bear a a girl cannot, or a girl is not strong or fit enough to hold baby boy have great status in the society. The status in that proud lamp‘. How sarcastic, petrifying, horrible the society depends on giving birth either to a baby boy or a situation for the women was at that time! Papa is proud baby girl. when the boy is born, and Mama appears to welcome The care that MamaPapa have for Arun is the son and recover her state of harmony with Papa. As unequal to the care they put on their daughters, showing the narrator says: how they treat daughters as second-class children. ‗Mama was frantic to have it (pregnancy) terminated. She had never been more ill, and would go through hellfire, she wept, just to stop the nausea that Taking care of a ‘boy’ is more important than going tormented her. But Papa set his jaws. They had two to school: daughters, yes, quite grown-up as anyone could see, but there was no son. Would any man give up the chance of When Arun was brought home from hospital, a son? The pregnancy had to be accepted.‘ (Desai, Uma was appointed as a ‗female servant‘ in the house to Fasting Feasting 16) take special care of the new-born baby as it was a ‗fortunate‘ boy. Once Uma says to her mother that she has to do her homework, then Mama answered tartly: A boy, a cause and source of elation in a family: ‗I have to go and do my homework,‘ she told her mother. ‗I‘ve got to get my sums done and then write the When the boy Arun was born in the hospital, composition‘ happiness knew no bounds in the family. Papa was ‗Leave all that,‘ Mama snapped at her. springing in elation while going home with the news: ‗Uma had received such directions from Mama ‗Arriving home, however, he sprang out of the before; Mama had never taken seriously the need to do car, raced into the house and shouted the news to any schoolwork, not having gone to school herself. ‗We whoever was there to hear. Servants, elderly relatives, used to have a tutor,‘ she said airily when the girls asked all gathered at the door, and then saw the most her how it was possible that she had not gone to school. astounding sight of their lives- Papa, in his elation, He used to come to teach us—a little singing—a little— leaping over three chairs in the hall, one after the other, hmm‘ she became vague. We used to run away and like a boy playing leaf-frog, his arms flung up in the air hide from him, she admitted, with a giggle. So Uma tried and his hair flying. ‗A boy!‘ he screamed, ‗a bo-oy! Arun, to explain that if she did not get her homework done, she Arun at last! It turned out that when a second daughter would be sent to Mother Agnes with a note. had been born, the name Arun had already been chosen ‗But we are not sending you to Mother Agnes— in anticipation of a son. It had to be changed, in or to school—again,‘ Mama said. disappointment, to Aruna.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 17) ‗We are not sending you back to school, Uma. How petrifying, how painful, how insulting, how You are staying at home to help with Arun.‘(Desai, grief-stricken, how mournful, how heart-rending the Fasting Feasting 18) situation of the women was at the time when the novelist Uma is interested in everything she studies, but wrote the novel! From the above stated depiction of the she gets failing grades in every subject. She loves the narrator, it seems that women were not humans, rather western Christian religious atmosphere of the convent they were burden for the family. Before Arun, two other school, delighting in the religious education, the music, children came to the same family, but MamaPapa didn‘t and looks up to the nuns—who are for the most part spring in ecstasy and euphoria at that time as they were American and British. The nuns focus on proselytizing, not ‗lucky‘ boys. but Uma seems neither aware nor bothered by this. Her

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grades are failing worse than ever when Arun is born, of an age to marry—everyone understood that, and and when the nuns start sending notes home describing agreed, and so the letter of acceptance from Oxford was her bad scores, Mama tells Uma that there is no point in locked in a steel cupboard in their flat on Marie Drive in going to school any longer. Uma refuses to let Mama Bombay, and whenever visitors came, it would be taken soothe her shaking hands when Mama tells her that she out and shown around with pride.‘(Desai, Fasting must prepare herself for marriage, and that in the Feasting 69, 70) meantime it is her job to stay home with Arun. Mama Anamika could win the scholarship of Oxford but says this as if the society they live in doesn‘t allow the she was not allowed to go there to study, but with this girls to be the member of the literati. win the family took pride and regarded the scholarship Uma used to reach school earlier than others, as a quality which will equalize her with the status of her and also wanted to stay there for a long time: ‗Uma was would-be husband. The family took it as a good chance at school before any other child, and every day she to find a good husband showing this ‗family prize‘. searched for an excuse to stay on. School was not open ‗The scholarship was one of the qualifications long enough. There were the wretched weekends when they were able to offer when they started searching for a she was plucked back into the trivialities of her home, husband for her, and it was what won her a husband which seemed a denial, a negation of life as it ought to who was considered an equal to this prize of the be, somber and splendid, and then the endless summer family.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 70) vacation when the heat reduced even that pointless How selfish the society was! They used the existence to further vacuity. She prickled with impatience scholarship to search for a better and qualified husband for the fifteenth of July when school would re-open and a but they were not allowing Anamika to go to America for new term begins.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 21) higher studies. It seems that house was like a prison for her where she didn‘t want to stay for long time. When Mama comes to know that Uma has failed Complain of a father to Head Nun against his in almost all subjects, she says: ‗You know you failed daughter’s education: your exams again. You‘re not being moved up. What‘s the use of going back to school? Stay at home and look Since Uma failed in every subject, Papa asked after your baby brother.‘ Mother Agnes, the head nun, not to allow Uma in the ‗What is the use of going to school if you keep school any more. Once while everyone else is napping ailing, Uma? She is in a reasonable tone. You will be during a hot afternoon, Uma runs away from home. She happier at home. You won‘t need to do any lessons. You hires a rickshaw to ride her to the convent school. There, are abig girl now. We are trying to arrange marriage for she goes in search of Mother Agnes, the head nun, and you.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 16) falls at her feet, begging her to allow her to return to My question to Mama, would Uma fail if she was school, telling of her unhappiness at home with the baby. given at least some time to study in the house? Actually, Mother Agnes embraces Uma, then tells her that she it is not mother who stops Uma going to school, rather it has done everything she can to convince Papa, and that is the society that does not allow Uma to go to school. now Uma should try to learn home keeping. Then Uma The idea of education for the girls is utterly urges saying: defeated here in the hands of family needs that must be ‗But I will work very hard!‘ she yelled. ‗I will pass met only by the girls in a family. next time. Please tell him, Mother—I will pass next time.‘ (Desai, Fasting Feasting 28) Here, it may not be obvious whether Uma is Education is ignored to women: really promising to study well or not, but it is clear to all that Uma is urging Mother Agnes to allow her in the Everyone‘s favorite cousin, the gracious, school because she wants to get rid of the mental as beautiful and intelligent Anamika, wins a scholarship to well as physical torments she is bearing in the house. Oxford, but her parents, Lila Aunty and Bakul Uncle, do ‗The more she yelled, the more dubious Mother not consider allowing her to go. Lila Aunty and Bakul looked. When Uma gabbled about the baby, not knowing Uncle are none but the representatives of the society how to bathe the baby, about being afraid to pin on his Anamika lived in where the girls, even being an nappy, she began to grow impatient. ‗Girls have to learn outstanding student and winning a scholarship in a these things too, you know,‘ she said.‘ world-famous University, are not allowed to get access ‗Uma was thunderstruck.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 16) in the galaxy of higher education. The narrator ironizes The researcher cannot help laughing in over saying: elation. This is because who I should blame? Mama, ‗To Oxford, where only the most favoured and Papa, or Mother Agnes? Uma came to Mother Agnes in privileged ‗sons‘ could ever hope to go!‘ hope of getting something better, but in the long run ‗Naturally her parents would not countenance Mother also advised Uma to take care of the baby her actually going abroad to study—just when she was instead of attending school. 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Mother Agnes, rather it is the society that is shaped in achievement, you could say, and they were now more such a way that girls like Uma are not allowed to study equal than ever.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 31) as they are now in the age of marriage, and also as they Even as a little boy, Arun already knows that he have baby boys in the house to take care of which is has a more powerful place within the family than his really more important than going to school. older sister Uma.

Boys need proper attention which the girls don’t Girls had no right to use any jewelry items: need: In the modern day, Mama and Papa have left Mama showed Uma how to pour a little oil on home to attend a wedding. With few chances to be home her fingerprints and message it into the baby‘s limbs. alone, the middle-aged Uma relishes the opportunity. And when Mama saw that Uma was successful, she She is in her room, cheerfully going through her jewelry turned away with a sigh of relief and was sure that the and her other trinkets, when Ayah, her family‘s servant, baby could be now left to his elder sister. But once Uma comes into her room and insists on brushing Uma‘s hair. asked mother if she and Aruna can be taken care of by It seems that girls are not allowed to wear or have any the ayah, then why not Arun. Mother protested saying: jewelry items. This is discerned in the following lines: ‗You know we can‘t leave the baby to the ‗She has looked through her card and her bangle servant, she said severely. ‗He needs proper attention.‘ collection. Hearing someone move about in the other When Uma pointed out that ayah had looked after her room, she has quickly put these out of sight.‘ (Desai, and Aruna as babies, Mama‘s expression made it clear it Fasting Feasting 35) was quite a different matter now, and she repeated threateningly : ‗Proper attention.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 30) Girls are regarded as unholy creature: Even when Mama left the baby with Uma or the ayah, to be bathed or dressed, she remained sharply That the plight of the then women was really vigilant of their performance. As for his meals, she long-smothered becomes clearer with the gradual watched over him like a dragon. When Papa returned advancement of the story. We once see the narrator from the office, he would demand to know how much his stating that in the society Desai lived girls were not son had consumed and an answer had to be given. allowed to touch anything without washing hands or How carefully the baby is being taken care of taking bath. Specially touching a baby boy was totally now! This was not done when Uma and Aruna were prohibited for a girl if she doesn‘t take bath: As the born. Alas! Uma and Aruna are undone as they are girls. narrator says: How lucky Mr. Arun is! ‗Uma was not allowed to touch anything. ‗Did you bathe when you came from school? Did you bathe after going to the toilet? No? Do you have your period now? Don‘t To give birth a baby helps mother be equal with the touch, child, don‘t touch?‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 41) father in status: How scornfully Mama said this to Uma! It seems that if Uma were a boy, then taking bath isn‘t needed to touch In Desai‘s society, to be the mother of a baby boy a baby boy or anything. is a matter of great honour and status. So it can unquestionably be stated that to be the mother of a baby girl is a matter of great dishonour and humiliation. Since Churches’ door seems to be closed for the girls: Mama is now the mother of a son, she is allowed to wear a medal. Not only that, Mama now can accompany Papa There is no doubt that in the novel MamaPapa to the clubs, to dinner party, and weddings, which was play role of the members of patriarchal society while quite impossible for her before the birth of Arun ‗the Uma is the victim of that culture. Uma had long desire to blessings for the family.‘ This idea is picturesquely visit Church but she was never allowed. But when she reflected in the following lines: goes to chapel with Mira Masi, she feels very happy: ‗He had not only made her his wife, he had made ‗and Uma felt she had been admitted to some her the mother of his son. What honour, what status! ----- sanctuary that had been previously closed to her. The she might have been wearing a medal.‘ nuns at St Mary‘s had allowed her as far as its portals— ‗Mama continued to deck herself in skills and the assembly room, the hymn singing—but she had jewelry and accompany Papa to the club, to dinner never been admitted into their chapel, and that was parties and weddings.‘ where she wanted to go, sensing this was the heart of ‗It seemed to them that Mama sailed out with an their celebration.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 43) added air of achievement. She had matched Papa‘s

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Claustrophobic atmosphere for the girls: Girls have no right to choose her spouse:

When Ramuvai (nephew of Papa) came to their Anamika has many suitors, but her parents house, the bag he carried weighed him down at one marry her off to a much older man because he ‗matches‘ arm. Seeing that, Uma rushes to take it from him. Ramu her in degrees and prestige. How unscrupulous and said: unprincipled the society is! They chose a husband for ‗No, no,‘ he says, slapping her hand away. ‗Ladies Anamika but his age was quite more than hers. They cannot carry bags for gents.‘ choose this old man ‗because he had qualifications How insulting the statement is! The whole society is equal to hers; he too had degrees, had won medals and framed in such a way that every male member of it certificates, and it seemed clear he would be a match for doesn‘t mind humiliating any girl even if she is his near her.‘ one or relative. Uma, Aruna and all the other girl cousins Moreover, Ramuvai and Uma expected to eat crowded around to see the match when he came, a outside home but Papa didn‘t allow them to do that. The bridegroom, to the wedding, and they fell back when member of a claustrophobic society, Papa, is bound to they saw him, in dismay. He was so much older than say, ‗No need to waste money by eating at Anamika, so grim-faced and conscious of his own Kwality‘s.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 48) superiority to everyone else present: those very degrees Anyway, Ramubhai, in spite of the unwillingness and medals had made him insufferably proud and kept of MamaPapa, goes outside and takes Uma with him. everyone at a distance. The children saw that straight That Uma was really in claustrophobic society is clearly away: there would be no bridegroom jokes played at this understood when Ramu says to her that his main wedding, no little gifts and bribes from him to them. In purpose to take her outside home is to let her enjoy her fact, he barely noticed them; he barely seemed to notice time the way she likes. As Ramubhai says, ‗I want you to Anamika. The children saw that too—that she was enjoy yourself. Have another drink.‘ marrying the one person who was totally impervious to After coming back home, Uma was going to Anamika‘s beauty and grace and distinction‖. (Desai, tell Mama what she did and how she enjoyed her time Fasting Feasting 70) outside home, then Mama said: ‗Quiet, hussy! Not Thus a girl‘s virginity is less important to the another word from you, you idiot child!‘ Mama‘s face parents than the medals and certificates of a man who is glints like a knife in the dark, growing narrower and searching wife. The women really suffered from what is fiercer as it comes closer. ‗You, you disgrace to the called dilemma of identity. Even the children could family—nothing but disgrace, ever‘. understand that the bridegroom himself was simply an As Uma wanders by herself at the ashram, old man who will not make any jokes with them. But they she finds happiness because she is free to meander and could say nothing as the society didn‘t allow them to. find a kind of freedom that she finds only in solitude. Uma‘s ability to find happiness just in her own company makes her different than most other characters in the Girls/Wives are brutally tortured/ Wives suffer from novel. identity crisis: Desai is found to use irony and sarcasm to denounce the claustrophobic attitude of the society. Uma has gone After marriage, the man pays no attention to to ashram with Mira Masi. MamaPapa thought that she Anamika, but rather appears to worship his own mother. will be back in a week. But when she was not back even Soon after their wedding, news floats to Uma‘s family in a month, they sent Ramubhai to bring her back. We that Anamika‘s husband and mother-in-law regularly are dumfounded when we Uma asks Ramu: beat her and that she is treated like a household servant. ‗Back? Why?‘ she faltered, knitting her hands around the What a society it is! A wife is beaten by her husband and pillar. She had quite forgotten that she was expected to mother-in-law? How come! What a shame! Women were return. not treated as human beings? It seems that the wives or ‗Because your MamaPapa thought you would be back in women didn‘t have any right to enter into the galaxy of a week and you have been away for a month. ------They those human beings who are happy in this world. The were sure you‘d been abducted by the priests. women who lived in this society suffered from dilemma ‗What‘s abducted?‘ Uma asked cautiously. of identity. She had to spend all the time in the kitchen, ‗Stolen. Kidnapped. Ravisehd!‘ he shouted.(Desai, and had to eat at the last: Fasting Feasting 56) ‗Anamika had been beaten, Anamika was Now, no need to think that MamaPapa has beaten regularly by her mother-in-law while her husband sent Ramu to take Uma back because they really are stood by and approved—or, at least, did not object. thinking that Uma might be abducted, stolen, kidnapped Anamika spent her entire time in the kitchen, cooking for or ravished, rather they need Uma to do the household his family which was large so that meals were eaten in chores with which they are now tired as they have been shifts—first the men, then the children, finally the doing these jobs for about a month. women. She herself ate the remains in the pots before 576. Int. J. Arts and Humanit.

scouring them. If the pots were not properly scoured, so How shamelessly a mother scolds her children they heard, her mother-in-law threw them on the ground because of nothing! She asks, ‗What have you learned and made her do them all over again.‘ by going to the convent?‘ It means she makes the school ‗When Anamika was not scrubbing or cooking, responsible for the girls‘ ‗misbehaviour‘. Actually she she was in her mother-in-law‘s room, either massaging couldn‘t tolerate her two children as they were girl. Thus, that lady‘s feet or folding and tidying her clothes. She the two sisters suffer from the dilemma of identity in the never went out of the house except to the temple with family. other women. Anamika had never once been out alone with her husband.‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 72) Can it be thought that Anamika has any right to Uma’s education stopped: this family? Is she treated as a human being let alone being treated as a member of the family? How miserably Uma‘s education is now totally stopped for, she suffers from identity crisis in her own family! Her maybe, two reasons: she is needed in the family, and mother-in-law is also a woman but she thinks herself as now she is passing the age of marriage. MamaPapa now the boss of the family and gives no importance to her as thinks that Uma shouldn‘t study after class VIII. As the her son‘s wife. This is because, I think, this bossy narrator depicts: mother-in-law couldn‘t also enjoy herself in the family ‗It was during the sad aftermath of Anamika‘s when she was the wife of her mother –in- law‘s son. marriage that all the relatives received letters from Papa Anamika was always at the beck and call of her to say, ‗Uma is still young but may be considered of mother-in-law. Soon, Anamika miscarries due to a marriageable age and we see no reason to continue her beating, becoming infertile. Uma hopes that her husband studies beyond class eight-; Papa had not informed will send her back home to her parents, but Anamika them when Uma was withdrawn from school before that doesn‘t return. ‗Then the news came that Anamika had level‘. (Desai, Fasting Feasting 75) had to go to the hospital. She had had a miscarriage at It seems that the women don‘t have any right to home, it was said, after a beating. It was said she have higher education. Desai portrays this long- couldn‘t bear more children.‘ smothered plight of the then women just to criticize the How cruel and brutal the society is! The wives society so that its eyes are opened and the society starts are beaten so ferociously and brutally that they miscarry. thinking women as a part of human beings and society; ‗What will people say? What will they they also have right to know what they don‘t know, to go think?‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 72) where they didn‘t go before. Desai seems to ask the It is asked to Uma by her Mama. But I ask her, society, ‗Aren‘t the women created by God Who created ‗You also think about what people will say if Anamika is the men? Don‘t the women take breath under the son sent back from her husband‘s house to Lila Aunty and where the men take?‘ If so, why shouldn‘t they have Bakul Uncle? What kind of actor or actress you are! Do rights to enjoy what are enjoyed by men? people believe that people like you also think about the happiness of the girls of a family? If she is sent back because of her miscarriage, people will think about your MamaPapa in a hurry to drive Uma away from home: prestige, but what about your social status if the people like Anamika‘s husband and her mother-in-law Once a man is eager to marry Uma is supposed indescribably persecute the wife of their house?‘ to visit the house. Mama herself was beautifying Uma ‗Who cares what they say? Who cares what they with aromatic cosmetic items. She was teaching her the think?‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 72) answers of some general questions asked to a girl while It is boldly said by Aruna. This kind of brave the guardians of the groom come to see the girl. Mama statement from Aruna indicates that the deprivation for taught her that she should say that she can prepare the girls of what they deserved has made them brave Samosas, barfi if MrsSyal asks her. When Uma tried to and revolutionary. Revolutionary zeal is observed when say that she doesn‘t know how to prepare these things, a society deprives somebody of what he / she deserves Mama was threatening her like anything. That as crime is there where people are not given what they MamaPapa is really tired with the presence of Uma in need. the family and they want to get rid of her is understood ‗Don‘t talk like that, ‗Mama scolded them. ―I don‘t from the following lines: want to hear all these modern ideas. Is it what you learnt ‗Hold still. You have to look nice,‘ Mama said grimly. from the nuns at the convent?‘ She glared at Uma: ‗Now, if MrsSyal asks if you made the samosas, you Mother Agnes had made one of her periodic visits to must say yes.‘ persuade Mama to send Uma back to school and this ‗What if she asks me how? I won‘t know!‘ Uma cried always roused Mama‘s ire. Uma thought it better to ‗Why don‘t you know? Didn‘t I tell you to go to the withdraw. So then Mama glared at Aruna. ‗All this kitchen and learn these things? For so many years I convent education—what good does it do?‘(Desai, have been telling you, and did you listen? No, you were Fasting Feasting 72) at the convent, singing those Christian hymns. You were 577. Mohammad.

playing games with that Anglo-Indian teacher showing But what about Uma? This is her first marriage. Can she you how to wear skirts and jump around. Play, play, tolerate and imagine that her would-be husband won‘t play, that is all you ever did. Will that help you now?‘ have any feelings to her at the first sight? (Desai, Fasting Feasting 77) During the ceremony, the groom indifferently How insulting and humiliating the comments of Mama to asks the priest to cut the ceremony short. ‗Finally the Uma are! It seems that Mama can take a sigh if she can sullen bridegroom broke in and said curtly to the priest, drive away Uma with anybody in the country. ‗Cut it short, will you—that‘s enough now. The priest It won‘t be, I think, an overstatement to opine that Desai looked offended, Uma was mortified. If he could not here criticizes the mean mentality of the then parents of even tolerate the wedding ceremony, how would he the society. The novelist seems to ask, ‗Have the girls tolerate their marriage?‘(Desai, Fasting Feasting 92) been created only to do these household chores? Can‘t Once at her new home, the husband leaves they contribute in the socio-economic development of a immediately, telling Uma that he has to work in Meerut. nation?‘ Actually, by this kind of denouncement, Desai The women don‘t speak to Uma, but bark directions to demands the women‘s autonomy to the society. her about cooking and chores. One day, Papa arrives, MamaPapa respond to an ad in the newspaper raging at the family, telling Uma that the husband has for a family looking for a bride for their son. They meet another wife and family in Meerut, and needed the dowry the Goyal family, and the family makes an offer, asking to save his business. Upon returning home, Aruna asks that the dowry be given immediately to buy more Uma if her husband touched her, and Uma says no, but property for their estate—which they promise to share privately wonders about the experiences she could‘ve between both families. Eager to marry Uma off, had. MamaPapa give up on marrying Uma, and Uma MamaPapa agree, and give the dowry. But a few weeks feels like she has lost all her value to her parents and later, they receive word from the Goyal family that their family. son has decided to pursue his education instead. The Uma is lonely, not because she pines for a dowry cannot be returned, for it has already been spent. husband, but because her community isolates her by MamaPapa make a last effort at marrying failing to make a place for her in their world. It means, Uma off. The old man from the newspaper ad accepts the society where she is born and brought up is not the offer, but when he arrives for the wedding, Uma is ready to give her a bit place to live in. The society seems horrified to find that the man is old, fat, and shows no to have a hope that Uma‘s mother will give birth to a son, interest in her. and not a girt like Uma. Desai here criticizes the mean-mindedness of the parents that in the society there was a malpractice and objectionable practice as well. The parents finally Desai’s criticism on dowry system prevailing in the found a suitor who was not so young and was married society: before. How sarcastically Desai disparages the objectionable practice of marriage in the then society! Desai here has directly attacked the practice of She thus desires to bring out the women from the galaxy dowry system which is a curse on the women in the of male chauvinistic society. ‗The man who finally society. Harish (Uma‘s husband) has married the dowry approved of it and considered it good enough for him not Uma as he has already a wife and four children. He was not so young; he was married before.‘(Desai, has remarried only to save his pharmaceutical business Fasting Feasting 89) with the money he gets from the bride‘s guardian. But what‘s Desai‘s reason behind portraying this sorrowful matter in this novel? She has attacked the society to A mismatched marriage is arranged for Uma: remind the decision makers of it (society) that dowry is really a curse for the people who live here, and this When the ‗old‘ man looked at Uma, he didn‘t system should be eradicated. show any interest. As the narrator says: ‗He looked at Uma glumly and without much interest. What he saw did not seem to make him change his Uma’s marriage is stopped / cancelled: attitude.‘ ‗The man looked as old to her as Papa, nearly, and was Anyway, ‗The marriage was somehow cancelled, grossly overweight too, while his face was pockmarked.‘ annulled.‘ The ‗old‘ man showed hardly any interest to Uma ‗Having cost her parents two dowries, without a marriage because this was his second marriage. He was an to show in return, Uma was considered ill-fated by all ‗experienced‘ person. The feelings he had in his heart and no more attempts were made to marry her off.‘ have already been given to his first wife. Since this is his (Desai, Fasting Feasting 98) second marriage, no change is seen in his appearance How unscrupulous, corrupt, dodgy, unprincipled when he meets Uma. and scandalous the patriarchal society of Desai‘s India

578. Int. J. Arts and Humanit.

was! Mr. Harish din never think about the life of Uma, the Uma is scolded now like anything for her lack of helpless ‗creature‘ of the time, rather money of ‗dowry‘ education: was everything to him. Uma is writing to Arun on behalf of MamaPapa, and Papa criticizes Uma for her slow writing and her So many tutors are hired for Arun: inability to keep up with grammatical directions. Now Papa is criticizing Uma for her slow hand-writing, but The novel flashes to an overview of Arun‘s they have forgot that they didn‘t allow her to study after childhood, which centers entirely on school. Papa allows class eight. How self-contradictory the things are! Don‘t him no rest: All year round, Arun has a series of tutors you know what brackets are? What did they teach you at hired to drill words, rules, facts and formulas into his the convent? How funny! How sarcastic!‘(Desai, Fasting brain. This is the different and discriminating attitude that Feasting 127, 128) the society shows to the boys and girls. Previously, we Previously they didn‘t allow her to study after have seen that Uma is not allowed to study after class class eight. Even they didn‘t allow or give opportunity to eight; she fails in almost all the courses, but no tutor is study at home. For this, she failed in almost all subjects. brought for her. Anamika wins a scholarship to go and Now they expect the best performance from Uma. They get admission in Oxford University, a world famous are threatening her now telling, ―Why don‘t you know university in the world, but she is not allowed to go there how to write fast, what are the brackets?‖ How for higher studies. This happens because they are girls. unscrupulous and dodgy! Desai expresses what she But for Arun, ‗the pride for the family,‘ a series of tutors cherished in her mind out of her desire for the women‘s are hired. How unscrupulous, corrupt and crooked the independence. society seems to be here! Desai criticizes these Previously they denied for Uma to receive even basic discriminating attitudes towards women as if she is education, but now reprimand her weaknesses. longing for the women‘s freedom, and she wants them to come out of the four walls where they are confined. ‗Tutors came in a regular sequence, an hour Uma is advised to go for hysterectomy: allotted to each, for tuition in math, in physics, in chemistry, in Hindi, in English composition—in practically Getting an offer of a job from Dr. Dutt, Uma was every subject he had already dealt with during the hours surprised. She says: ‗Job‘? gulped Uma, never having at school.‘ (Desai, Fasting Feasting 122) aspired so high in her life, and found the idea as novel Uma and Aruna were raised only for marriage, as that of being launched into space‘. (Desai, Fasting not for education. They don‘t have any right to be Feasting 145) educated. The only thing on which Papa gave emphasis Dr. Dutt was frequently requesting MamaPapa saying: was Arun‘s education. It seems that Arun‘s education is ‗After all, it is at my own institute, in a women‘s the ‗pivot‘ around which everything in the family dormitory, with other women. I can vouch for the revolves. conditions, they are perfectly decent, sir. You may come When he reaches the end of his high school and inspect the dormitory, meet the nurses, see for exams, Papa plunges him into applying for college, yourself. Would you like to pay us a visit, Uma?‘ taking more tests, and applying for scholarships. When Mama and Papa can‘t even admit to her why Arun‘s letter of acceptance to the University of they deny Uma her own career, so they lie, keeping Uma Massachusetts finally arrives, Arun shows no excitement from the only opportunity for a new life she is ever given. or relief, only exhaustion. Uma packs his bags while his ―If you have that problem, you must come to the hospital father rests and his mother cries in pride, but even as he for tests. If you need the hysterectomy, it is better to get departs, Arun shows no joy. Uma is saddened, wishing it done soon. There is no need to live like an invalid.‖ he would be happy so that at least someone would be (Desai, Fasting Feasting 147) happy, even if she cannot be. Why does Uma need the hysterectomy? What is MamaPapa dedicate all of their efforts into the problem? Because her father failed to marry her off Arun‘s health and education, in contrast with their with a good and competent husband. Since she has no neglect of Uma in these areas. possibility to be married, she wants to remove her womb When Anamika won the scholarship in the now. How sorrowful and grief-stricken the news is to us! Oxford University, Bakul uncle and Lila Auntie were not The society has totally failed to marry Uma off. Desai so happy with the news let alone distributing sweets to disparages this inconsolable situation of Uma just to let their relatives. But now Arun has got scholarship to study the world know that the women in the world are not abroad, and thus the joy knew no bounds with being paid with what they deserve. There is no place for MamaPapa as they are sending sweets to the relatives Uma to live in the society. Thus, there is no need to live and neighbours. like an ‗invalid.‘ How pathetic the story is! Desai is bound

579. Mohammad.

to use the word ‗invalid‘ for Uma. Uma is now invalid in during 20th century India is more pathetic as well as the society. It seems that it is better for her to die now. If heart-rending than that of the historical Dark Age. How Uma dies, the world will get relieved of a heavy burden. funny it seems that Uma‘s parents will feel relieved and It is, I think, out of her yearning for the women‘s freedom relaxed if Uma is, somehow, married off. Furthermore, that Desai describes this distressed condition of the 20th Anamika‘s parents and relatives don‘t allow her to go to century Uma. Oxford for higher studies. Finally, she is burned alive. How grief-stricken the matter is! Desai observed these indescribable plights of the women of her time from a Anamika is burned alive: distant place and suffered from ache in her heart out of which she has written this novel. This novel is nothing It is the middle of the night, and the electricity but a message to the world that she is in favour of the has faltered. Uma fetches Mali, their elderly emancipation and independence of the women in the groundskeeper, who emerges from his small shack and world. Women should be given what they deserve. goes into town to fix it. Before his return, another figure is seen coming in the darkness: a man with a telegram. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Just as the electricity comes on and Mali returns, they open the telegram. It states simply: ‗Anamika is dead.‘ Mr. Mohammad Mozammel Haque is one of the Soon after, they hear the full story: Anamika was found youngest literati of Bangladesh. He did his BA (hons) burned to death by kerosene, wearing only a cheap and MA in English Language and Literature from Islamic nylon sari, before dawn on the porch outside her in-laws University, Kushtia, Bangladesh. He has been working home. Different versions of the story float around. The as a lecturer in the department of English, Jazan mother-in-law claims Anamika snuck out before the University, KSA since December 2008 till date. Before house awoke and lit herself on fire, while the neighbors that he worked as a lecturer under the department of say that the mother-in-law dragged Anamika out in the English at Bangladesh Islami University, Dhaka. middle of the night, with help from the husband, and Recently the author has received an offer letter to burned her alive. Anamika‘s parents say whatever pursue his PhD in English Literature (Feminist Literature) happened was destiny. in University Putra Malaysia. He got around eight of his How can the news of Anamika‘s premature articles published in the national and international death be borne with? How tyrannical and oppressive the journals. Mr. Haque has authored a book titled ‗An Easy mother-in-law and husband were! What was her offence Way to Get Chance in Varsity‘. He has also translated was not clear. She was burned to death by kerosene. TJ Fitikides‘s ‗Common Mistakes in English‘ from Should we believe and think that Anamika committed English to Bengali. His area of research is feministic suicide? If she commits suicide, then what are the literature. He writes for those who find themselves reasons behind? Desai has picturesquely portrayed what trapped in situations on which they have no control (the she observes with her own eyes to happen in the society second sex). she lives in. The story of Anamika‘s death tragically symbolizes the final loss of female freedom. This kind of fate is common for almost all the ‗unlucky and unfortunate‘ wives of the so-called ‗aristocratic‘ REFERENCES husbands. Desai‘s only aim to let us know these pathetic stories is to ask us sympathize with them and bring Bheda, P.D. Indian Women Novelists in English. New about ‗procession‘ in favour of women‘s liberty. The Delhi: Sarup & Sons, 2005. Indian society is no less than what is called the Dark Indian Women Novelists in English. New Delhi: Sarup & Age. The only difference is that during the Dark Age, Sons, 2005. girls were graved alive, and now they are burned alive. Desai, Anita. Fasting Feasting. Haryana: Random House How shameful the situation is! (Desai, Fasting Feasting India, 2008.. 154) Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. Women and Economics: A Study of the Economic Relation between Man and Woman as a Factor in Social Evolution . CONCLUSION New York: Harper and Row , 1970. Gupta, R.K. The Novels of Anita Desai A Feminist Everybody is more or less aware of the condition Perspective. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers and of women during Dark Age i.e. before the birth of Distributors (P) Ltd, 2013. Mohammad (PBUH) bin Abdullah. At that time it was a The Novels of Anita Desai A Feminist Perspective. New matter of great insult and mortification for a father and a Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 2013. mother if the mother bore a baby-girl. The parents of that The Novels of Anita Desai A Feminist Pesrpective. New age threw their baby-girls into the grave alive. What a Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd, shame it is for humanity! Now, the condition of women 2013. 580. Int. J. Arts and Humanit.

Jardine, Alice. Gynesis: Configurations of Women and SenGupta, Jayita. Feminist Perspectives in the Novels of Modernity . Ithaca: Cornel University Press, Toni Morrison, Michele Roberts and Anita Desai. 1986. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Mori, Toril. Sexual / Textual Politics: Feminist Literary Ltd, 2013. Theory. London: Methuan Publishers, 1985. Pathak, R.S. Modern Indian Novel in English. Delhi: Creative Books, Nice Printing Press, 1996.